Getty Brad Holmes and Rod Wood mix it up during Lions training camp in July 2021.
The Detroit Lions have converged on Alabama for Senior Bowl week, and a big way the team will learn about prospects is to put them in unique situations to see if they have position versatility.
This week, as the team prepares to coach the American Team during the Senior Bowl, Holmes spoke to the media and discussed the proceedings. As he admitted, the week is a good way for the Lions to not only learn about prospects, but test them as well based on what the team wants to see.
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Holmes was asked by the media on Monday, January 31 if he plans on putting players in uncommon spots. As he hinted, the answer to that question is yes, and it could be a big part of the evaluation process this week.
“It’s huge and you know, we actually went over that with our staff about some of the things that we would like to see from some of those guys so that’s gonna be big,” Holmes told the media. “Without getting into too much detail, but obviously you know from the practice to the games, there’s there’s rules and principles in place of things that you can and cannot do in the game, so we’re going to stay within the rules but it’s going to be cool to see those looks in terms of what fits us.”
Finding comfort in the uncomfortable is a huge part of the Senior Bowl, and players who are adaptable might be of most interest to Detroit. One player to watch with regards to this is Michigan State tight end, running back and H-back candidate Connor Heyward. The Spartans saw this potential in Heyward and moved him to tight end. It just so happens the Lions could need a tight end, and Heyward’s ability to also run the ball and catch passes out of the backfield could be mighty appealing to the Detroit offense. It makes Heyward one of the top players to watch this week.
Those kind of looks might not be uncommon for the Lions this week, and it could be a savvy way the Lions begin to think about filling out some of their bigger roster needs.
Versatile Scouting Helped Benefit Lions With Matt Nelson
The last few years, the Lions have succeeded by finding players who can do different things and be versatile. Perhaps the best example of this is defensive lineman turned offensive tackle Matt Nelson. Coming into the NFL, it was likely wondered if there would be a place for Nelson on the defense given his size and skills. The Lions saw that Nelson had some major talent and possible untapped potential along the offensive front. They began to develop him as an offensive tackle, and have reaped the rewards the last few seasons. Nelson has managed to be a dependable force and a key depth piece up front for the team to use.
Here’s Nelson playing defense for Iowa showing some of the skills the scouts saw:
Without scouts seeing potential elsewhere in Nelson, the Lions would never have found a player that could become a key figure for one of the better offensive lines in football. For that reason, scouting matters, and Holmes and the Lions will continue in this theme.
2022 Senior Bowl Primer
Always an annual tradition for the league ahead of the NFL Combine as well as the unofficial kickoff to the pre-draft process, the Senior Bowl will once again play out in Alabama this year. It’s one of the first events of the offseason where teams and players meet, and a key cog in the offseason evaluation period for the team.
This year’s game is scheduled for February 5 and will played at Hancock Whitney Stadium at University of South Alabama in Mobile. It will be televised by NFL Network starting at 2:30 p.m. EST, allowing fans to get an up close look at some of the players who could be joining their team in the future.
For Lions fans, this game will take on an added level of significance in 2022. Not only will the fans get a chance to look at players who could join the mix, but they will get a closer look at some of their coaching staff working hard on the field to lead those players.
The coaching staff will do plenty of big things this week, but perhaps the biggest will be looking for untapped potential in players. As Holmes likely knows, that could be the difference between a good Senior Bowl week and a great one.
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